Roadgrip Airports have been painting the enhanced holds at Southend Airport to improve air traffic safety.
Enhanced holds are important taxiway line markings that are gateways onto the runway; pilots must not cross these without explicit permission from air traffic control. The hold bars sit 100m away from the main runway centre line. Crossing these without permission is deemed as a potentially dangerous runway incursion and is reportable to the CAA.
Runway incursions are collision risks where a plane has improperly positioned itself on an active runway, which is why is must be crystal clear to the pilot where the boundary is.
Up until quite recently, these markings were simple primary holds on the runway (two yellow solid lines with dotted lines) but a few years ago aviation regulations were tightened up to make the holding point even clearer and converted into enhanced holds for additional safety. Now, as you approach the lines on the taxiway, what is usually a single yellow taxiway centre line is an enhanced with the dotted line either side. The pilot will then see large and vibrant red signs on the ground saying ‘RUNWAY AHEAD’ along with the designation number of the runway.
It is essential these lines remain highly visible all year round.
Our crew were contracted to make the red panels larger and clearer, and to apply new lining to other areas of resurfacing on the taxi network.
Using single-pack epoxy paint, we applied bright, new enhanced hold markings, whilst navigating weather changes and air traffic schedules. Well done, team.
If you need runway maintenance or airfield safety improvements, visit Roadgrip Airports to learn more about runway markings, runway grooving, AGL, rubber removal, friction testing, concrete cutting, joint sealing and more.
